Oh, have I’ve missed you! It’s me, Halle! I’m back! Just for a brief bit though to share about a super cool experience I had recently in my very own backyard. One of my favorite parts of working for OHLA is discovering the coolest lodging facilities we have right here in Ohio. Even better when it’s here in Columbus. I want to introduce you to The Timbrook Guesthouse located in Dublin, just across from Antrim Park.
The Timbrook Guesthouse is owned by innkeepers Jill & Peter Dole. Parents to 6 kids and several grandkids, these two fell in lovebirds (pun intended – read on) with what was formerly known as the “Old Jack Antrim Farmhouse” – a mansion built in 1875 and nestled on 83 acres. The Doles bought the property and its remaining 4 acres from the Timmons family in 1988 and raised their family there. Now, the Doles operate a guesthouse where they welcome visitors into their tropical paradise tucked neatly away off of Olentangy River Road in the heart of Columbus – I promise you; you didn’t even know it was there. And that, my friends, is the best part. They have marvelously created a hidden escape for me, for you and all of their guests. Let’s take a look!
I was visiting Timbrook on a drizzly Saturday in September for work on a weekend – something many of our readers can appreciate. The difference here is, I was transported to an island getaway despite the wet, the cool and the Ohio gray. While at most inns one can expect an immaculate experience inside, the coolest part of Timbrook is what is on the outside. The Doles have added hidden nooks and crannies outside to be discovered by guests, including Puna’s Pond (the pool), Leilani’s Lagoon (the hot tub sanctuary) and my favorite, the Tropical Aviary (see what I did there – these two love birds!).
Even on a day like that Saturday, the beauty of the meticulously manicured gardens was all anyone could need. Give me a blanket and wipe off my seat and I could have easily sat in one of the benches or chairs throughout the property and just watched the world slow down and let my senses take over. Sadly, I wasn’t there to relax, but I was eager to indulge in Jill’s fabulous breakfast spread. If you remember, I love food, so when I booked this location for a board retreat, I made sure it included brunch. The Doles were dealing with a full house (big OSU game that weekend) + our 8 guests, so it was all hands-on deck. We were seated in a beautiful family dining room – the wooden table was hand made in Costa Rica, as were the super cool chairs (guys, they had pineapples carved into them!) and we were surrounded by windows – it was the perfect setting to dig into Jill’s AMAZING pumpkin pancakes. I put amazing in all caps, because they were hands down, the best pumpkin pancakes I’ve ever had.
And, the best part about breakfast at Timbrook? There is a TEA STATION! Raise your hand if you work at a property that puts an emphasis on tea for its guests? (Right, not a lot of hands in the air) So imagine my joy when I was directed to an entire tea station that included honey made right there at Timbrook. (Shameless Plug: Curious about tea service? Make sure you check out ‘Service to a Tea’ at the OHLA Annual Conference this year!)
Set a little goal for yourself, right here, right now. Find one day – come on, you have 365 to choose from – and book a stay at The Timbrook Guesthouse. The Doles will graciously open their beautiful paradise to you and transport you to somewhere truly special. Aloha!